Poinsettia plant named ‘Windark’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Poinsettia plant named ‘Windark’, characterized by its dark red, reflexed flower bracts; dark green, reflexed leaves; freely branching plant habit; relatively strong stems in comparison to other selections with reflexed bracts and leaves; and excellent postproduction longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Windark’.

The new variety is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of theInventor's proprietary Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. seedling selectioncode number P-60. The new Poinsettia was selected by the Inventor in agreenhouse in Encinitas, Calif., in the winter of 1995. The objective ofthe Inventor's Poinsettia development program is to create newPoinsettia cultivars having interesting bract and leaf display,desirable bract and foliage color and form, strong and freely branchingstems and good post-production longevity.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by terminal cuttings taken atEncinitas, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this newPoinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Windark’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Windark’ as a new and distinct variety:

1. Dark red, reflexed flower bracts.

2. Dark green, reflexed leaves.

3. Freely branching plant habit.

4. Relatively strong stems compared to other sections with reflexedbracts and leaves.

5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas,Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of theseedling selection P-60 in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more compact than plants of P-60.

2. Primary flower bracts of plants of the new Poinsettia are smallerthan primary flower bracts of plants of P-60.

3. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more freely branching than plants ofP-60.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new variety, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photographcomprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Windark’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Poinsettia has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas,Calif., under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhousewith day temperatures about 23° C., night temperatures about 17° C., andlight levels about 40,000 lux. Plants were grown in 16.5-cm pots,pinched one time, and flowered under long nyctoperiods.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Windark’.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Inventor's proprietaryEuphorbia pulcherrima Willd. seedling selection code number P-60.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 12 to 18 days at 27° C. Winter:About 15 to 18 days at 24° C.

Time to develop roots.—Summer: About 26 days at 27° C. Winter: About 26days at 24° C.

Rooting habit.—Thick, freely branching, becoming fibrous withdevelopment.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Inverted triangle, top of plant rounded.

Growth habit.—Mostly upright. Freely branching. Branching is enhanced byremoving the shoot apex. Moderate vigor and moderate growth rate.

Plant height.—About 32 cm.

Crop time.—From unrooted cuttings to a flowering plant in a 16.5-cmcontainer, about 18 weeks are required.

Stem description.—Thick, strong. Number of lateral branches: About fiveor six lateral branches are formed after removal of the terminal apex.Lateral branch length: About 24 cm. Stem diameter: About 1.2 cm.Internode length: About 1 cm. Stem color: 146A.

Foliage description.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch: About 14.Length: About 7.5 cm. Width: About 6.75 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:Acuminate. Base: Rounded to acute. Margin: Entire and ruffled, rufflingof leaf gives the appearance that leaves are slightly sinuate. Texture:Ruffled, rugose, dull, mostly glabrous with very slight pubescence onlower surface. Aspect: Reflexed, leaves curled backward, leaf apicesnearly contact lateral stems. Color: Young foliage, upper surface:Darker than 147A. Young foliage, lower surface: 147B. Mature foliage,upper surface: Darker than 147A. Mature foliage, lower surface: 137B.Venation, upper surface: 147B. Venation, lower surface: 147C. Petiole:Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm, thick. Color: 53A.

Inflorescence description:

Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound corymbs ofcyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the cyathia. Reflexedbracts give a spherical appearance to the inflorescence.

Natural flowering season.—Autumm/winter in Northern Hemisphere. Flowerinitiation and development can be induced under long nyctoperiodconditions.

Quantity of inflorescences.—One per lateral branch, usually about 5 or 6per plant.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 13 cm. Height (depth): About 6 cm.

Flower bracts.—Quantity of flower bracts per inflorescence: Usuallyabout 24 primary bracts and about 10 secondary bracts per inflorescence.Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 6 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Abruptlyacuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire and ruffled, ruffling of bractgives the appearance that bracts are sinuate. Texture: Ruffled, rugose,smooth, slightly glabrous. Aspect: Reflexed, bracts curled backwardsimilar to leaves. Color: Developing, upper surface: Rosier than 45A.Developing, lower surface: 53C. Mature, upper surface: 45A. Mature,lower surface: 46B.

Cyathia.—Quantity: Usually about 18 per corymb. Diameter of cyathiacluster: About 3 cm. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Color:Immature: 144A. Mature: 144B. Peduncle: Length: About 2 mm. Aspect:Strong, erect. Color: 144B. Stamens: Stamen number: Numerous, typicallymore than 10 per cyathium. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 9A.Pistils: Pistil number: 1 per cyathium. Stigma shape: Rounded, notparted. Stigma color: 45B. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: 144D.Nectary color: 14A.

Disease resistance: No fungal, bacterial nor viral problems observed onplants grown under commercial conditions.

Postproduction longevity: Generally plants maintain good substance andbract color for about four weeks under interior conditions.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Poinsettia plant named‘Windark’, as illustrated and described.